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Poison Information

The Texas Poison Center Network is made up of six regional Poison Centers and each one has a full-time education program dedicated to reducing the incidence of unintentional poisonings and to increase awareness of the Poison Center's services.

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The Network provides a 24-hour, 365 days a year, emergency telephone number resource for all Texas citizens. If you need assistance, simply dial 1-800-222-1222 for access to a 24-hour toxicology referral service staffed by specially trained physicians, pharmacists, and nurses.

Updates

How Can I Keep My Family Safe from Salmonella?

Chances are that sometime during the past 24 months, your body was invaded by a bacterium or virus that had taken up residence in a food you ate. Odds are that it didn’t land you in the hospital but the food poisoning it gave you probably made you feel miserable. While almost any food can give you a dose of harmful bacteria, you’re most likely to get sick from dairy products, eggs, poultry, red meat or seafood.

Recently you probably heard of the big egg recall because of the increased number of Salmomella cases believed to be caused by contaminated eggs. So how do I keep my family safe? The consumer’s best protection against Salmonella infections is safe food handling. People can reduce the risk of Salmonella Enteritidis infection by doing the following:

Eggs

Keep eggs refrigerated at ≤ 45 degrees F (≤7 degrees C) at all times.

Discard cracked or dirty eggs.

Wash hands, cooking utensils, and food preparation surfaces with soap and water after contact with raw eggs.

Eggs should be cooked until both the white and the yolk are firm and eaten promptly after cooking.

Do not keep eggs warm or at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Refrigerate unused or leftover egg-containing foods promptly.

Avoid eating raw eggs.

Avoid restaurant dishes made with raw or undercooked, unpasteurized eggs. Restaurants should use pasteurized eggs in any recipe (such as Hollandaise sauce or Caesar salad dressing) that calls for raw eggs.

If you are not sure about a menu item, ask your server if it includes raw or undercooked unpasteurized eggs.

Consumption of raw or undercooked eggs should be avoided, especially by young children, elderly persons, and person with weakened immune systems or debilitating illness.

Raw Milk

Use pasteurized milk and dairy products

Keep all dairy products refrigerated when not in use, even if the products are pasteurized.

Don’t defrost food at room temperature–thaw it in the refrigerator, under running water, or in the microwave.

Refrigerator temperature should be no higher than 40°F, and freezer temperature should be no higher than 0°F.

Proper hand washing is the single most effective measure for preventing the spread of foodborne illnesses.

A person infected with Salmonella Enteritidis usually has fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea beginning 12 to 72 hours after consuming a contaminated food or beverage and lasting 4 to 7 days. In the elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems, more serious illness or even death may occur.

For more information about safe food preparation and prevention of food poisoning call your Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.

The information provided in this website is offered for general informational and educational purposes only; it is not offered as and does not constitute medical advice. While we try to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy or reliability with respect to the website or the information contained on the website.
Texas Poison Center Network